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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. kick — in football
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. net — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. net — after costs
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. swing — music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wake — a trail
  19. swing — in golf
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. net — for catching
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com